Lock for freight-cars



UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEErcE.

THOS. SLAIGHT, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSY.

LOCK FOR FREIGHT-CARS.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 15,783, dated-September 23', 1856.

T o all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, THOMAS SLAIGHT, of Newark, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and Improved Lock, designed more particularly for railroad baggage and freight cars; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and eXactdescription of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1, is an external view of my invention, applied to a baggage car. Fig. 2, is a detached internal view of ditto. Fig. 3, is a horizontal section of ditto, m, Fig. l, showing the plane of section.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several gures.

My invention consists in having a hasp fitted over 'a socket of a lock and securing said hasp on the socket by means of a plug er bolt which passes through the hasp and socket into the lock, as will be hereinafter fully shown and described.

To enable those skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I`will proceed to describe it.

A represents a rectangular casing constructedof metal and having two jaws B, B, pivoted within it, to its back plate, said j awsl having each a spring C, attached to it, and a turn plate D, fitted between their lower ends the lower ends of the jaws being kept against the edges of the plate by the springs C.

The turn plate D, has a ledge or projection a, at one side, and a series ot tumblers E, are placed on a common pivot` b, within the casing, each tumbler being provided with a spring and having a recess or slot c cut in its outer end, the slots being in varying positions so that the tumblers will require to be moved at diiierent distances so as to bring the several slots in line that they may receive the ledge or projection a, and also the jaws to be distended. The tumblers are operated by a key provided with bits of varying lengths corresponding to the varying positions of the slots 0.

The front plate of the casing has a key hole d, made through it, j, and a socket F, is

formed on the outer side of the front plate said socket having a rectangular opening through it, which opening extends through the front plate of the casing.

G, is a hasp of the usual construction which its over the socket E, and H is a plug or bolt which has a head e, on its outer end. The inner end of the plug or bolt is notched, as shown in Fig. 3, and is fitted within the socket F, said plug or bolt passing through the hasp, socket and between the two jaws B, B, which catch into the notches of the bolt and secure it within the lock and socket, the head e, of the plug or bolt retaining the hasp upon the socket.

In Fig. l, I, is the door of the car and J, is the side adjoining the door. The lock is secured to the side J, and the hasp G, is secured to the door. The plug H, is attached by a chain K to the door. The above parts may be reversed if desired, the lock placed upon the door and the hasp and plug attached to the side of the car.

The plug or bolt is released from the jaws B, B, by inserting the key in the lock and turning the tumblers E, and plate D, thereby distending the jaws and allowing the plug or bolt to be withdrawn. The plug or bolt may be inserted within the lock and secured therein without the aid of the key.

The above improvement is extremely simple and is far preferable to the ordinary pad locks. This improvement is in reality a tumbler lock and may be made equally as secure against burglars or lock pickers as other tumbler locks. Sufficient play is allowed the hasp on the socket F, so that the door may give or yield to a certain extent in case of heavy weights resting against it.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is 1 The hasp G, fitted over the socket F, of the lock and secured thereon by the plug or bolt H, which passes through the hasp and socket into the lock, substantially as described.

THOS. SLAIGI-IT. Witnesses:

W. TUsoH, J. F. BUCKLEY. 

